UCSD - University of California - San Diego

01/26/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/26/2026 12:12

Julie St. John Endowed Chair in Gynecologic Oncology Established at UC San Diego

Published Date

January 26, 2026

Article Content

Ramez N. Eskander, MD '06, has been named the inaugural holder of the Julie St. John Endowed Chair in Gynecologic Oncology at the University of California San Diego. The endowed chair was established with a $2 million gift from esteemed business leader and grateful UC San Diego patient Julie St. John, to support UC San Diego faculty in obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, with an emphasis on gynecologic cancers.

St. John created the chair in gratitude for her experience as a patient at UC San Diego Health. Eskander was St. John's physician during a time when she felt "completely blindsided" by her diagnosis. She credits Eskander's compassion and patient-centered approach with playing a key role in her recovery. When she felt nervous or uneasy during the challenging treatment period, he made extra time, listened and guided her through each step.

Ramez Eskander, MD '06 provided medical care for Julie St. John following her cancer diagnosis.

"Dr. Eskander was unbelievably kind and understanding," said St. John. "Even more important, he was direct and honest about my cancer, and aggressive in treating it. Thanks to Dr. Eskander, I am now cancer free, although I still get monitored regularly."

The endowed chair is intended for a distinguished faculty member in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology within the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine, with a primary focus on gynecologic reproductive cancers. The chairholder will also be affiliated with the gynecologic oncology program and associated clinical trials at Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego.

Endowed chairs are among the most prestigious honors bestowed upon faculty, recognizing professors whose innovative work leads their field, impacts the campus community and transforms our world.

In addition to establishing the endowed chair in graditude for her treatment, Julie St. John (front right) created the endowment in memory of several members of her family who were lost in a car accident. The child pictured at left survived.

"Endowed chairs provide critical, sustained support necessary to advance discovery and improve patient care," said John M. Carethers, MD, vice chancellor for health sciences. "This chair reflects Julie St. John's extraordinary generosity and commitment to helping other patients, while empowering Dr. Eskander to accelerate groundbreaking research, expand clinical trials and deliver the highest level of care to patients facing gynecologic cancers."

Eskander is a professor of gynecologic oncology in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences and serves as the medical director of Moores Cancer Center's Clinical Trials Office, and as the gynecologic oncology fellowship director at UC San Diego School of Medicine. A nationally respected clinician-scientist, he is known for pioneering clinical trials, advancing drug development and driving innovations that shape the future of reproductive cancer care. He is focused on advancing research in the management of gynecologic malignancies.

Now, the endowed faculty chair, which will remain in perpetuity at UC San Diego, will provide support for Eskander's research efforts, with the goal of propelling discoveries that transform the lives of cancer patients and families regionally, nationally and internationally.

The endowed chair established by Julie St. John, picutured with her husband Cliff Bream and their puppy, will support research, clinical trials and care for patients long into the future.

"The Julie St. John Endowed Chair in Gynecologic Oncology helps us catalyze groundbreaking gynecological cancer research, offering tomorrow's cures through clinical trials, compassionate patient care and research innovation that save lives," said Eskander. "It is an honor to receive this endowed chair, which bears Julie St. John's name. I am grateful for her visionary generosity which will drive research and treatment to benefit patients long into the future."

Eskander is an alumnus of UC San Diego, having earned his medical degree from UC San Diego School of Medicine in 2006.

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UCSD - University of California - San Diego published this content on January 26, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 26, 2026 at 18:12 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]